Al-Sayyid

al-Sayyid is a Bedouin village in the Negev desert of Israel, with a population of 3,796 in 2017. It was once geographically isolated, and it is an endogamous community, with the residents intermarrying. Historically, the community was home to the al-Sayyid Bedouin Sign Language (ABSL), a 70-year-old language that spanned three generations. In a population of 3,500 people, 150 were deaf, 40 times the incidence of the general population; this hastened the need for a sign language. Most hearing villagers also sign, and the deaf people were integrated into society.

The ABSL language had no formal words or grammar, with the locals communicating through improvised signs. The language developed without outside influence, developing independently from other sign languages; it was developed by children, who then taught it to the adults. The people who developed the language had no formal education and did not speak Hebrew, Arabic, or Israeli sign language; they also had no language contact with people outside of the village, hearing or deaf. Under Israeli rule, deaf children were bused away to learn Israeli sign language, and the media also helped to change the language. In addition, the Bedouin had less isolation, and they learned to speak several new languages.

Today, most al-Sayyid Bedouin are no longer nomads, trading in camels for motorcycles and cars due to pressure from the Israeli government to modernize. There are now VCRs, DVDs, satellite dishes, computers, and western clothing in the village, and the locals commute to work.